Q:My group is bringing a new vending concept to the North American market: a pizza vending machine. Do we license the European brand that is semi-established in Europe but means nothing here in the U.S. market, or do we build our own?
—Darrell Habben Jr., President, Union Square Food Concepts
A:...

In early April, Amsterdam Falafelshop rolled out its first-ever pairing menu. Each menu special has a counterpart, based on flavor notes and tastes. But rather than pairing with wine, beer, or other spirit, the pita combos are intended to be paired with marijuana.
“The idea to actually do the pot-...

Different quick-service companies have different strategies driving their philanthropic initiatives. For some, fighting hunger is a natural fit, whether through donating meals or raising funds. Others give away their time and their money to causes like multiple sclerosis research or literacy...

I always remember having an interest in the quick-serve industry, and branding in general, before starting Red Mango in 2006. It was definitely a risk, as I had no prior restaurant experience, but that was a constant source of motivation for me, personally. I wanted to be a founder of a brand and...

Since opening in March 2011, Bull City Burger & Brewery has become a hit in downtown Durham, North Carolina, a line routinely extending out the door for the eatery’s built-to-order burgers crafted from pasture-raised beef and award-winning beers.
Bull City principal Seth Gross, a Culinary...

A teenage boy lounges on a couch with Jack in Box—the puppet-like mascot for the San Diego, California–based chain. They talk about what dinosaurs they’d like to be while promoting the Chick-n-Tater Melt Munchie Meal. The ad seems pretty standard—except that the dialogue is entirely in Spanish....

While traditional Fenway Frank hot dogs continue to be bestsellers at Major League Baseball (MLB) games nationwide, Aramark is rolling out some new offerings for this year’s MLB season to stay on trend with consumer tastes.
This year, Aramark is adding gluten-free stands in three stadiums that will...

Before becoming a Chronic Tacos franchisee, Audra de Vera worked as a federal agent for the U.S. Department of Health and Urban Development (HUD). With a degree in international security and conflict resolution from San Diego State University, de Vera investigated financial fraud. She spent four...

Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza, the nation’s leading fast-casual artisanal pizza specialist, announced plans to open a new restaurant at Disney Springs in Walt Disney World Resort at Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The build-your-own pizza chain, known for its chef-driven recipes and casually hip...

Entrepreneur magazine has named Auntie Anne's one of the country’s top global franchises. The iconic soft pretzel company ranks among the top franchises expanding internationally as part of the annual Top Global Franchise list, a comprehensive selection of the top 200 global franchise...

This summer, Dunkin’ Donuts is introducing guests to one of its most significant menu expansions of the year, as the brand has officially added Fruit Smoothies and other new frozen beverages as additions to its lineup. Beginning today, participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants will offer two...

As most of the food industry knows, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced an extension to the rule released last year requiring that restaurant chains and retailers provide customers with calorie counts on available food and beverages by December 1, 2015.Now restaurants have an e

Regular readers of this column know that for some years now, I’ve been dispensing suggestions on how quick-serve chains can do more to court millions of Millennials, aka members of Generation Y, whose adventurous palates, curious minds, and unconventional tastes have often made them elusive qu